Bandhavgarh National Park, MP, India

I wrote this couple months before:
...Of course our heartbeats were changing frequently with the increase in no. of Alarm call but that part of jungle wasn't like the ones we have been seeing since morning. We were full of fear and excitement and so was that small part of the jungle. That happens when the Tiger is on move...This is from my trip to Kanha blog.

It was different in Bandhavgarh. That small part of jungle had just witnessed a kill and we were the only humans in there. Yes we did see a Tiger making a kill (spotted deer), waiting there for few minutes and then dragging it to a nearby bush. It happened in the evening trip, which started off badly, our guide was not willing to to come with us (he wanted to go with foreigners) and he pushed us on a route which is never known as tiger territory. For one hour we drove aimlessly inside the jungle, our gypsy-driver was not so happy with the guide and I was sleeping in front seat. One amongst us, spotted something moving some 300-400 metres away on the other bank of pond and we all stopped. It was a Tiger pouncing a deer!, we missed the first part so dont know if it came running or jumped from the bushes behind onto the kill. Anyways it stood holding it by neck, watched us and then started dragging it. There was a smell around.

You know in India, people have stories all the time ready to be served. Our guide was no different, just after we had seen the tiger he started telling about this tigress (he said it was a tigress) and her cubs and how it would hide the kill and go for cubs, or may be eat a part of it and then go for cubs.. blah blah!! Well, we waited there for half hour more, anticipating tiger would come back to drink water or something.... and there were some alarm calls going on too.

Bandhavgarh (in wikepedia) is very famous for Tigers. It has the highest density of Tigers (25-28 in 105 acres, a part which is open for visitors), so one has the highest probability of seeing a tiger. Bandhavgarh is also famous for vultures and caves. There are some 4 kinds of vultures but you are required to go at the top of hills and special permission to go there (which is ususally after the morning trip is over). We didn't go there. There are many young tigers in Bandhavgarh, our morning trip guide talked of atleast three tigress having 7-8 cubs in all. Young tigers ensures that one has seen a tiger at least once, because they are visible, playful and keep coming out. We could see two brothers walking around from just 50 metres. The view however was not very good due to bushes and rocks around.
One who has been to jungle would know how difficult it is to see animals in wild, 1. you never know where they are, and 2. they camouflage very well. No Park allows you to enter very early around 4-5 Am, which is the best time. Thus it becomes really difficult for one to see lots of wildlife. You'll know in sometime how we enjoyed seeing wildlife at 4 AM. Well, before going to Bandhavgarh, I read in some blog that the forest here is not as good as Kanha's. Everytime I was wondering why one would write that. Forests are always beautiful and it was green all around as Sal trees had just got their new attire (leaves). The forest in bandhavgarh is more hilly though, so there are rocks and hillocks more than Kanha. But then due to that, there are caves and right at the top it becomes a paradise for vultures (since I didnt go there, I dnt know why?? but it is).
Fauna - Apart from Tiger, and Deers, we saw a procupine (dead or killed, but eaten) in morning and even it was dead, the thrones were looking dangerous, Jackals, langoors and red face monkeys in galore, and a monitor Lizard. My desire to see a leopard or bear didnt realise. Birds - quite a few I can remember - green bee eater, black orbis, Stork, yellow neck oriole, kingfishers - one with brown neck/chest, spotted black on white, and general white necked, (we wanted to take pics but birds very camera shy!!)
Logistics and Support I will say it is not as well managed as Kanha, but certainly one of the best managed parks in the country, (Kanha is a benchmark, Bandhavgarh would certainly be in Top 5). Badhavgarh has more of "chalta hai" attitude. There are plenty of shops on the entrance gate but they all look at your pocket. There is MP Tourism guest house and good hotels too for stay. MP Tourism lodge/hotel looked good amongst them. The entrance of Park is Tala, a village in Umaria district, and as it should be, it looked like a developed village.
Travel Though Umaria is the nearest railhead (30km), for travellers Katni (100 km) would be the last rail head. The road from Katni to bandhavgarh is under construction, so there are some really bad patches. Leaving those, road is good and sometimes wonderful. The jungle starts after 15 kms from Umaria, so you can actually find wildlife on and around road if you are lucky. The chances are high if its a night time. We could see hare, deer, and Civet cat on the road, at around 4 Am. Other ways to reach Bandhavgarh can be to take Taxi from Satna or Jabalpur (from jabalpur it goes to katni first). One can fly to Jabalpur from Delhi and Indore/Mumbai.
Picutres from the Trip

Bandhavgarh - Caves, Tigers and vultures are must see, and I recommend one to go to Bandhavgarh for sure. As far as I am concerned, I am going there again and again.